Drive system with mechanical time delay

ABSTRACT

A time delay mechanism adapted for use in a copying machine which includes a drive motor driving an endless transfer member along a prescribed path, a flexible engaging member carried by the endless transfer member and having a predetermined length shorter than the endless transfer member, and a driven member positioned adjacent the prescribed path to be drivingly engaged by the flexible engaging member as it moves thereby to cause the driven member to stop rotation as the gap in the engaging member passes thereby even though the endless member continues to move. The method of operation is also contemplated.

United States Patent Freeman et al.

DRIVE SYSTEM WITH MECHANICAL TIME DELAY Inventors: Lawrence M. Freeman, 599 Ansley Court, NE., Atlanta, Ga. 30324; Francis T. Arnold, 2379 Tristan Circle, NE, Atlanta, Ga. 30345 Filed: June 17, 1974 Appl. No.: 479,887

Related us. Application Data Division of Ser. No. 304,5!9, Nov. 7, I972, abandoned, which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. l46,l 14, May 24, 1971, Pat. No. 3,730,622.

US. Cl 355/14; 355/45 lnt. G036 15/00 Field of Search 355/14, 44, 45

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 9/l970 Suge et al. 355/45 X 3,728,020 4/1973 Abrams et al. 355/14 X Primary Examiner-Richard M. Sheer Attorney, Agent, or Firm-B. J. Powell [57] ABSTRACT A time delay mechanism adapted for use in a copying machine which includes a drive motor driving an endless transfer member along a prescribed path, a flexible engaging member carried by the endless transfer member and having a predetermined length shorter than the endless transfer member, and a driven member positioned adjacent the prescribed path to be drivingly engaged by the flexible engaging member as it moves thereby to cause the driven member to stop rotation as the gap in the engaging member passes thereby even though the endless member continues to move. The method of operation is also contemplated.

4 Claim, 35 Drawing Figures IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIILII/ U.S. Patent Dec.23, 1975 Sheet 1 of 18 3,927,935

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DRIVE SYSTEM WITH MECHANICAL TIME DELAY CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a division of our co-pending application Ser. No. 304,519, filed Nov. 7, 1972 for Reader-Printer Apparatus" now abandoned which is in turn a continuation-in-part of our still earlier application Ser. No. 146,] I4, filed May 24, 1971 for Microfilm Viewer-Printer", now US. Pat. No. 3,730,622, but pending on Nov. 7, 1972.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Various machines are available on the market today for electrostatically copying the visual image on an original document medium onto copy paper. Usually, the various components of these machines are independently driven with the operation controlled by the use of switch elements operated by the leading edge of the copy paper. Because of the sensitivity required for paper actuated switches, these prior art machines have been difficult to properly adjust and to maintain. Moreover, because a relatively large number of components required for these prior art machines, the manufacture thereof has been expensive. Because of the synchronization required to seccessfully copy, these prior art machines have frequently become out of adjustment resulting in excessive loss of production and in the necessity of having technically trained personnel available to repair same.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION These and other problems and disadvantages associated with the prior art are overcome by the invention disclosed herein by providing a machine which has a minimum number of components, operates with a minimum required amount of adjustment, and is efficient in operation. Thus, not only is the manufacturing cost minimized, but also the operating and maintenance cost. The machine provides a single endless member which both drives the various components of the machine and carries the control elements for controlling the operation of the machine independently of the position of the copy paper.

Generally, the apparatus of the invention includes a supply of copy paper, an image forming means, a conveyor means for moving the copy paper through the image forming means, and a combination driving and control means for operating the image forming means and conveyor means. The image forming means includes charging means for imposing an electrostatic charge on the copy paper, projection means for projecting the image from the original document medium onto the copy paper to expose same at an exposure station, and developing means for applying toner particles in the exposed copy paper at a developing station to develop the latent electrostatic image on the copy paper into a visual image. In the microfilm readerprinter embodiment of the invention, a shutter-mirror assembly is provided for selectively projecting the visual image from the original document medium onto a viewing screen while at the same time preventing the image from being projected to the exposure station.

The conveyor means includes a paper feed means for feeding the copy paper from the supply of copy paper in single sheet fashion toward the image forming means, exposure conveyor means for receiving the copy paper from the paper feed means and positioning same at the exposure station, and discharge means for receiving the exposed and developed copy paper after passage through the developing station.

A paper cutter mechanism is provided for cutting the copy paper to length after a prescribed amount of the paper has been fed by the paper feed means. The mechanism has a cocked position in which it is spring urged toward a cutting position through which the cutter moves upon release from the cocked position to cut the paper.

The endless member is flexible and drivingly connects a main drive motor to the exposure conveyor means and discharge means to drive same when the main drive motor is operated. A secondary flexible engaging member of a prescribed length is carried by the endless member at a prescribed location thereon to selectively drivingly engage the paper feed means for a prescribed period of time during each print cycle to feed a prescribed length of paper toward the image forming means. The control means includes a plurality of control switches spaced along the prescribed path of the endless member and a plurality of switch actuating members carried by the endless member at prescribed locations thereon to operatively engage onlya corresponding one of the control switches to operate same. An additional operating member is also carried by the endless member for moving the paper cutter mechanism to its cocked position, and a release operating member is carried by the endless member for releasing the cutter mechanism to cut the copy paper to length. In the microfilm reader-printer, the operating member used to cock the cutter mechanism is also used to transfer the shutter-mirror assembly from its viewing position to its printing position and then back to its viewing position during a printing cycle.

The supply of copy paper is in the form of a roll which is carried in a paper cassette. The roll of copy paper is carried on a support tube rotatably mounted in a housing. A braking means is carried by the housing for internally braking the support tube. The housing is designed for a single use which lends itself to assembly with the roll of copy paper therein but is destroyed upon disassembly to prevent reloading same.

These and other features and advantages of the invention will become more clearly understood upon consideration of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views and in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front perspective view illustrating the invention embodied in a microfilm reader-printer for use with microfiche;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the machine of FIG. 1 taken from the rear of the machine to show the cabinet construction;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the drive side of the machine of FIG. 1 with the side removed to show the combination driving and control means;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional veiw of the machine of FIG. 1 showing the internal construction thereof;

FIG. 5 is a partial exploded perspective view of the duct side of the machine with the side panel ommitted for clarity; 

1. In an apparatus for electrostatically copying images from an original document onto copy paper including a supply of copy paper, an image forming means for reproducing the image on the original document medium onto the copy paper, and conveying means for selectively transporting said copy paper from said supply of copy paper through the image forming means; the improvement comprising: a flexible endless transfer member movable along a prescribed endless path; drive means for moving said transfer member along said path; driven member means positioned adjacent said prescribed path and operatively connected to said conveying means for driving same as said driven member is driven; and a flexible engaging member carried by said endless transfer member, said engaging member having a predetermined length shorter than said endless transfer member, defining a gap between opposite ends thereof, and located at a predetermined position on said endless transfer member so that said engaging member drivingly engages said driven member to drive said conveying means as said endless transfer member moves said engaging member thereby and to not drive said conveying means as said gap moves thereby.
 2. In an apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said driving means moves said endless transfer member at a prescribed speed along said endless path and wherein said gap has a prescribed length so that said conveying means is not driven for a prescribed period of time.
 3. In an apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said flexible endless transfer member is an endless link chain and wherein said flexible engaging member is a link chain with said predetermined length mounted on said endless link chain in a side-by-side relationship.
 4. In an apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said drive means includes: a drive motor having a rotary output shaft; a driving member carried by and rotatable with said output shaft; and idler member means, said endless link chain supported between said driving member and said idler member means. 